By Bagpuss
November 20 2005

From our own Correspondent. The story ends with England grbbing defeat from the jaws of victory - Bagpuss was there! Some highly commendable Pakistan contributions as well of course but our batting was abysmal!

DAY 4

Today the nightwatchman factor is in England's favour, as they look for a confidence boosting early wicket in the form of Sami. But it is Salman Butt who gets the reprieve, gloving the first ball of the day only to see the umpire signal that Flintoff's size nines had overstepped. Hope this isn't too costly.

Some consolation in his next over as he gets the breakthrough but Flintoff's legitimate victim is the far less threatening Sami, edged to Jones for just 3. Still, a wicket is a wicket and its nice to make the breakthrough early in the day, 131-3 Pakistan still in the red.

Inzamam ambles out to join Salman Butt. He survives a big shout for lbw in lintoff's next over - no idea whether that one was close or not. Hoggard replaces Harmison and Pakistan are finally in credit after about half an hour of play. From now on every run they make we will have to match in the final innings. Interesting field for Hoggard - he is bowling to 7/2 field for Butt and 5/4 to Inzamam - sure someone out there will have theories on this! makes for long field changes as they rotate the strike.

Runs are flowing all to easily and the 200 mark is passed after the drinks interval. There is a bit of a mix up when Inzamam turns down a single and sends Butt scampering back. A direct hit would have seen him well out but no such luck. A double bowling change as Harmison and Udal come on. Udal finds the edge of Inzamam's bat with his first ball but there is no-one there to take the catch. Just before the lunch interval Inzamam passes 50 for the second time in the match (107, 7). Butt is anxious to get the single he needs to reach his second Test century but is left on 99 over lunch with Pakistan 88 runs ahead on 232-3.

Entertained at lunchtime by the local young men trying to impress with their mobile ringtones. Interestingly "We Wish You A Merry Christmas" seems a popular choice out here. Shahid Afridi gets a standing ovation for jogging around the boundary to the nets area in a vest top.

After lunch England bowl their spin twins Giles and Udal - the new ball is due in 11 overs. Salman Butt gets the single he needs for 100 (207/9) There are two shouts for run outs straight after lunch - the first is a 'well in' but the second takes a long time for the 3rd umpires decision. The England team take up their fielding positions. In. Then they are together going through the high fives routine. Out. In? Out? Apparently though the bails were shaken all about there is too much doubt over when exactly the stumps are considered broken and after much thought the benefit of any doubt goes to batsman Butt. (I havent looked yet but I suspect this decision has been the subject of some discussion on the Grockles forum...)

Pietersen (who seems untroubled by the previous days collision with advertising boards) misfields and damages his hand, going off the field for treatment. At last, someone on tour who seems even more accident prone than I am. Though I'm not sure this is something I want in a no. 5.

Meanwhile Giles is just starting to pose the two batsmen some problems. Maybe this will be the breakthrough. But no - he doesn't get the chance as Trescothick opts to take the new ball as soon as available. Hope this is a good decision.

It is. Hoggard gets Inzamam lbw not offering a shot with his second ball. Wouldn't have mattered if he had played and missed as it hit in line with middle. Not quite the captains innings of 72 and the dangerous partnership of 133 is broken. Yousuf is still having problems with his guardian angels and is caught at gully off Flintoff before the same bowler gets Raza with a diving catch by Trescothick at slip. Salman Butt finally succumbs being caught by Jones off Hoggard for 122. It is 295-7 now, the lead is just over the 150 mark. lets hope we can mop up the last 3 quickly.

Kamran and Shoaib Akhtar survive till tea, taking Pakistan past the 300 in the process. The Pakistan coaching staff are on the outfield below us at tea, trying to teach Shabbir and Kaneria to bat with some throw-downs. Bit late for that now I think. Hoggard and Flintoff continue after tea, Harmison soon replaces Flintoff and then Giles for Hoggard. Akhtar hits a huge six over midwicket in Giles' first over - next ball from the wily King of Spain is a bit quicker and it gets the wicket, caught by Bell.

After his first innings performance the bowlers are forming a queue to have a go at Shabbir. Kamran takes a single to put him on strike with Flintoff bowling. At least this time he makes contact with the ball but gets the edge which is caught by Jones. Harmison ends Kamran's valiant effort when he skies one to deep midwicket - think Harmison would have preferred Stevie Wonder to be out there but it was Pietersen under the ball-and he takes the catch. Pakistan 341 all out, Flintoff with another 4 wickets and Harmison 3. Hoggard just 2, but arguably the most important ones of Butt and Inzamam. England need just 198 for victory.

Not the start that is wanted when Trescothick is bowled by Shabbir off an inside edge for 5. His match total 198 - hope the other 11 can club together to get the same total between them. In the next over Strauss survives a run out chance on a single that was never there - would have been way out with a direct hit. Kaneria is brought on in the 9th over as the light fades but Inzamam not quick enough to bring on a spinner from the other end and the umpires take them off for the light. At the close England are 24 runs towards their required total with Strauss 4 and Bell 12.

DAY 5

OK peeps 174 more runs to go. Should be a stroll in the Multan park. Even if Pakistan put the brakes on the over rate there should be time to get these. And it hasn't rained in Multan for 4 years, so the weather gods will not be helping out. But, were the bowling boots on the other feet, I might just fancy England to defend a total of 198...

Everything going to plan as Strauss and Bell are on their way, moving the ball into the gaps, getting ones and twos and the occasional boundary. Shoaib Akhtar is a bit of a handful at times but Bell is coping well. The 50 is up in the 7th over of the day, followed soon after by the 50 partnership. What time is the permit room open this afternoon? Think a gin and tonic may be in order.

A double bowling change as Kaneria and Sami replace Akhtar and Shabbir. Inzamam has said time and again before this series that Kaneria is his danger man. Certainly I have said if he can get the batters out then Shoaib Akhtar will mop up the tail. But we are talking about an England who (almost) tamed Shane Warne this summer and Kaneria isn't in his class - not yet anyways. But whilst Kaneria is a young pup to Warne's wily old fox, he also has young and pain free joints whilst this is also a wearing pitch.

Kaneria gets Bell caught by the keeper in his 3rd over of the morning. There is a big shout against Collingwood for lbw next ball but he's not out. Collingwood gets off the mark with a two, then takes a single to put Strauss on strike for the final ball of the over. This proves to be the final ball for Strauss as Kaneria gets the edge again and he's caught at slip.

One disastrous over for England. Just need to get the heads down and settle the situation. But then Sami gets in on the act getting Colly lbw next over. England have lost 3 for 3 and the pendulum is swinging firmly in Pakistan's favour. Petersen and Flintoff together and now is the time to use their respective thinking heads. One good parnership would put us back on track. But Flintoff cant help himself and holes out to Younis in the deep for just 11. England are 5 down with only 93 on the board - not even half way to the required total. England creep past the 100 mark, a milestone but 198 seems all too far away. Remember Trent Bridge though, they managed to keep their heads (just) to inch past the winning line.

But if you sail too close to the wind too often, eventually you will capsize. Pietersen has a swing at Sami and gets a faint edge to the keeper. With six down and the tail to bowl at Shoaib Akhtar comes on for the final denoument (dont think thats how you spell it but its such a good word). Giles, hero of the last stand at Trent Bridge is keeping him out, but the run rate has slowed to a trickle and it almost seems an act of kindness when Akhtar sends Giles' middle and off stumps flying. Jones and Udal survive through to lunch, when England are 138-7, still needing 60 runs.

Surprisingly Inzamam doesn't unleash Shoaib Akhtar after lunch, preferring Sami opposite Kaneria. Jones and Udal set about trying to build a partnership. Just a pity we had to wait till the 8th wicket - they steadily graft 49 runs before Inzamam decides he's feeling a little peckish and would like to get things done so brings Shoaib back. He finds the yorker and Jones comprehensively bowled, beaten for pace as much as anything. The crowd are going wild, so much so I miss completely as Kaneria from the other end bowls Udal with a googly. Too much to expect Hoggard to block and Harmison to swing the bat to get the 34 runs still needed, but they do their best until what seemed a fairly tame dismissal when Harmison didnt pick Akhtar's slower ball and edged it to slip.

Another exciting finish to a Test many (mainly Pakistani and neutrals) will say. But I look back fondly to the West Indies tour when England's victories were assured and comprehensive. We seem to be stuck in this adrenaline rush - extreme cricket, if you like - and its playing havoc with my R&R. But if you sail too close to the wind too often, eventually you will capsize. England will learn from this loss - but it may be too late to win or even save the series. Suspect the pitches for the last two matches may be Antigua-like in their behaviour. But dont expect Lara's record 400 to be at risk from Inzamam - he would need to stop for a little something long before he got close